A big finish for Big Finish’s Eighth Doctor series

Pop Culture Zoo has a report on the end of the line of Doctor Who audio adventures starring Paul McGann as the eighth incarnation of the immortal Time Lord. “To the Death” will end a series that began in 2007 with McGann and Sheridan Smith as companion Lucie Miller, but McGann actually joined Big Finish in 2001 to reprise the role he created for Fox’s 1996 TV movie based on the classic British sci-fi drama.

“To the Death” wraps up an epic storyline that includes Carole Ann Ford reprising her role as the Doctor’s granddaughter, which dates back to the series’ beginnings in 1963, and McGann’s own son Jake as Susan’s son — and the Doctor’s great-grandson — Alex Campbell. And of course it involves the Daleks as well.

Hopefully we’ll continue to see — or rather hear — McGann for some time in the regular rotation of former Doctors working with Big Finish. His return to the role, with great writing and guest stars, was a boon to fans in the time before the TV series relaunched in 2005 after being off the air since 1989. Many Big Finish writers and producers have gone on to be involved in the new TV series.

Big Finish is doing a lot of interesting things these days, including a series of adventures starring the irascible and loquacious theater impresario Jago and forensic scientist Litefoot from the 1977 Tom Baker Doctor Who serial “The Talons of Weng Chiang.” A third season of their adventures, heavily inspired by Sherlock Holmes and Victorian horror stories, will launch this summer, and it will bring with it Louise Jameson as Leela, the Doctor’s companion from TV’s “Weng Chiang” tale, widely regarded as one of the best episodes of Doctor Who.

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About Jayson Peters

Nerdvana's founder and owner. Digital Editor, web design instructor and president of the Southern Colorado Press Club. Lifelong Star Wars fan and Trekker who also worships all things Tolkien and Doctor Who.